As Glasgow does its very best to embrace the world, through its hosting of the XXth Commonwealth Games, with great success so far, spare a though for seven American teenagers who arrived at Glasgow Airport last night to help a friend of mine who has, for many years, run a youth Summer activities camp on the shores of Loch Lomond.
These seven volunteers had obtained their Visas in plenty of time and two were already on Scottish soil, through the barriers, when the third innocently replied, when asked the purpose of her visit by UK Border Force “Oh, we’re here to help out at a summer camp, as volunteers.”
Cue flashing of red lights, extreme “computer says no” warnings and loud cries of “you’re fucking nicked”.
The two despots on UK soil were immediately returned to the cattle pen that is UK Border Control and were summarily despatched back to the land of opportunity at 9am this morning.
The reason?
Volunteering is considered to be ‘working’ and they didn’t have Work Visas, they had Tourist Visas.
We’ve had a look at the US Visa website and can find no mention of this (apparently it’s a recently introduced ruling).
UK Border Force. I hope you’re feeling good about yourselves.
Brilliant attention to technical detail.
Well done on stopping what could possibly have been a massive terrorist invasion.
Or a complete destruction of the UK Economy.
Alex Salmond will no doubt point out that this was UK Border Force, not Glasgow Airport or anything Scottish whatsoever.
As for the poor kids at summer camp who are now seven organisers short. Send UK Border Force a postcard from Loch Lomond, eh? They probably don’t get many good wishes.
gibberish 